Attachment for internal-combustion engines



C. J. M NERNY' ATTACHMENT FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES F1186. July 30, 1921 INVENTOR,

f'J/V /Vrig/ Dec. 9, 19244 6 V J nigmati Patented Dec. 9, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

CLYDE J. MONERNY, 0F FORT MADISON, IOWA.

ATTACHMENT FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed July 30, 1921.

To all whom it may concern.

Be 1t known that I, CLYDE J. MONERNY,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Madison, in the county of Lee and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pie-heating attachments for internal combustion engines.

The object of the invention is to provide means for generating steam from the heat of the exhaust manifold and injecting it into the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, whereby the atomized fuel may be preheated and commingled with the steam before entering the engine cylinders, thereby increasing the explosiveness of the mixture.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide an attachment of this character which is simple and compact in construction, and which may be readily attached to the engine of any design of motor vehicle without altering any part thereof, or interfering with the functioning of the engine so provided, or with any of its accessories.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of an engine equipped with this improved attachment.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the attachment; and

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the attachment taken from the front portion thereof.

Having more particular reference to the drawings in connection with which like reference characters will designate correspond ing parts, the attachment constituting this invention comprises a casing 1 of suitable metallic material, preferably aluminum and further, although not necessarily, made rectangular in configuration. This casing 1, has its bottom 2, shaped to snugly fit over the exhaust manifold E, of an internal combustion engine, said bottom being shown concavo-convex for this purpose.

This casing 1, has a threaded inlet opening 3, at one end near the bottom thereof, as is shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2, designed to receive an elbow shaped coupling 1, which is threaded at its free end for the reception Serial No. 488,627.

of a union 5, which connects the coupling a with a pipe 6, leading from the water jacket of the engine, it being understood that said pipe 6, or conduit is tapped into the water jacket in a suitable manner. A needle valve 7, is located in the conduit (5, for controlling the water fed from the engine jacket to said conduit.

Another screw-threaded opening 8, is formed in the upper portion of the casing 1, near its front end and serves to permit the establishment of communication between the engine intake manifold I and said casing 1, a conduit 9 being engaged in said opening at one end and in the intake manifold I of the engine at its other end, as is shown, clearly in Fig. 1. As shown, a screw threaded nipple 10, connects the pipe 9, with the casing and said pipe is provided preferably adjacent the manifold I, with a needle valve 11, for controlling the steam supplied from the casing 1 to said manifold.

The conduit or pipe 6, is provided intermediate its ends in the top portion thereof with an aperture 6, for the admission of air to the conduit and to prevent siphoning of the water from the water jacket through said pipe.

The elbow-shaped coupling 4, at a point opposite the inner end of the union 5, is formed with a transversely extending aperture or port for the entrance. of air to the casing 1, in a manner presently to be described.

A pair of obliquely disposed apertures 12, are formed in the front wall of the casing l, at the lower portion thereof, preferably adjacent the connection of said casing with the bottom 2, to provide for the escape of the water of condensation when the engine is not in operation, so that there will be no danger of water instead of steam being sucked into the intake manifold I when the engine is started.

In the operation of this improved attachment, the parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1, the needle valve 7, is adjusted so that a very small quantity of water will be fed to the casing 1, being preferably supplied in drops so that when itstrikes the heated bottom 2 of the casing, steam will be immediately generated. The water dropping from the inner end of the union will cause air to be sucked into the coupling 4, through the opening 4. and passed with the water into said casing. The needle valve 11, having been properly adjusted the steam generated in the casing 1, will be drawn by suction through the conduit 9,.into the intake manifold I where it .willcommingle with the fuel supplied from the carburetor and pass with said fuelinto the engine cylinders. This combining of the steam with the air and gas drawnin from the carbureter produces a highly explosive mixture.

Ifanydirtorsediment should lodge on the seat of theneedle valve'7,-it would cause a leakage of waterinto the casing 1, from whence it would :flow, when the engine is idle, into themanifold I and back'inl'o the carburetor. This would render starting-of the engine difficult, if not impossible, and to overcome this-the apertures '12, are provided so that any water which may collect in the casing 1, will drain off through .these inclined apertures 12, and flow out onto the ground.

From the above description, it will be obvious that this attachment maybe applied to an engine by simply tapping the corduit 6, .into the water acket thereof atone end, and by tapping theconduit 9 into the manifold I, as shown in Fig. 1,theenginebeing otherwise unaltered.

Obviously the increaseof the speedofthe engine will increase the supply of air and steam to the intake manifold and in consequence proper functioning ofithe invention will be insured.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the drawings and set forth in the specification, but it will be .understood that any modifications within the scope of the claimed invention may be made in the construction without departing from the principle of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

WVhat I claim is:

l. A steam generator attachment for internal combustion engines comprising a substantially rectangular casing having a bot tom arcuate in cross section .to snugly fit a portion of the exhaust manifold of an engine, an obliquely disposed drain aperture opening through one sidewall of said casing near the-lower end thereof, an L-shaped couplingv detachably mounted at one end of said casing in proximity to its bottom and provided with an air inlet opening at the upper portion thereof, a union mounted in the upper end of and extendinginto the coupling and terminating above said opening, a water supply pipeconnected to said union, the top of said casing having a steam discharge outlet near the other end thereof, and a nipple mounted in said opening and adapted to be connected with a conduit for conveying steam to the point where it is to beused.

2. A steam generator attachment :for internal combustion engines comprising a steam generat0r,a vertically disposed angle shaped elementopening atits lower end into one end ofsaid generatorwinproximityto:the bottom thereof and provided near :its :top with an air intake, a water supplyconnection leading from .the water space -.of an engine and opening into said element at a point above said air :intake andprovided'intel-mediate its ends with an air vent,a valve vmounted in saidconnection, asteam supply pipeleading .from one end of the top of said generator, and a valve mounted insaid supply pipe.

3. A steam. generator attachment for internal combustion engines comprising a steam generator mounted on and overlapping the exhaustmanifold of an engine of a motor vehicle, an angle shaped element opening at its lower end-into one end of said generator in proximity to the bottomthereof and provided nearits top with an air intake, a water supply connection leading from the water space of the engine and openinginto said element at apo-int above said air intake and provided intermediate its ends with an air vent, a valve mounted in said connection at the inletendthereof, a steam supply pipe leading from one end of the ton of said generator, and a valve mounted intheloutlet end of said supply plpe.

In testimony whereof, I afiiX my signature hereto.

: CLYDE J. MoNERNY. 

